


back to you

by kuntens



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Drunken Confessions, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, literally just drunk mark confessing sabjfbjv
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 12:10:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14378367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuntens/pseuds/kuntens
Summary: Mark is acting weird in all of a sudden, and Donghyuck doesn't really understand what's going on.(mark x donghyuck :: college!au)





	back to you

**Author's Note:**

> This is such a cliché concept but sajbfakfasj it's markhyuck so yeah lol. also there is some slight johnyong on the side ;;;; enjoy!

“Jesus fucking Christ, Mark.” Donghyuck complained, trying to get away from his friend and failed.

“What?” The older giggled, wrapping his arms around Donghyuck’s shoulders even tighter.

The younger sighed deeply, what the kind of sin had he committed in a past life to deserve a best friend like this? “This wasn’t what I had in mind when I said we could hang out in my room.”

What did Donghyuck have in mind? He didn’t know either – but it wasn’t Mark sloppily hugging him and saying some cheesy shit, for sure. He was thinking of getting some terrible movie and an inhuman amount of snacks, lying around the room roasting the movie to death, the ol’ razzle dazzle. Then, most likely, Mark would either fall asleep on the floor or Donghyuck’s bed and the younger would have to carry him. There was once he had just left Mark on the floor as some kind of punishment, and had to listen to his complaints for the next day – Donghyuck knew how to take a lesson, yeah.

But somehow, it had gone very different than Donghyuck had imagined – I mean, obviously he wasn’t imagining how a night with Mark would go, who would even do that? – and the younger had ended up getting crushed between Mark’s arms, listening to his endless compliments.

“You know you have a very beautiful voice, right?” Mark reached over Donghyuck’s shoulder to poke his cheek with a little laughter. “I like it the most among all the people I know.”

_God, Zeus, Odin, whoever’s listening up there; DO SOMETHING AND SAVE ME!_

__

“Wow, Mark, you’re offending me.” 

Donghyuck had never felt so relieved to hear the voice of his dear one and only roommate and his source of gossips made around 2 a.m. It wasn’t God, even though he would argue about that, but it was something at least.

Yuta sarcastically joined the talk from his bed without looking away from his phone. “I thought we had something going on…”

Mark, clearly confused, responded with just a sound. “Huh?”

“I can’t believe you refused my love too, like everyone does!” Yuta pretended to cry in the most dramatic way possible and Donghyuck once again felt thankful to have a friend like him. “Sicheng always does, Taeyong too, and now you!”

“What… what?”

Donghyuck held his breath to contain his laughter. “Nothing, Mark.”

Mark scratched his hair, then just let his head fall on Donghyuck’s back. “I still don’t understand…”

“You don’t have to. It’s just him being petty over again.”

A pillow coming out of nowhere hit Donghyuck right in the face. 

“Yuta!”

“Deserved it.” The oldest chuckled as he turned his face to the wall and went back to the phone. 

“Ugh.”

Mark began rocking to the sides out of nowhere. “Donghyuck…” He muttered in a sing-sang voice, prolonging the vowels.

“What now?” The younger was already tired of him, but for the sake of being a good friend he was trying to put up. “I’m trying to watch the movie, let me.”

The older grunted. “Fine.”

Why was he acting like a literal five year old?

After half an hour, Donghyuck decided that he couldn’t stand that anymore. Mark had kept getting closer and closer until they ended up in a freaking couple cuddling position. Not kidding. Donghyuck was sitting between Mark’s legs and the older’s arms were wrapped around Donghyuck’s waist, with his chin resting on the younger’s shoulder.

Donghyuck would’ve broken it minutes ago but the weather was cold, the blankets were hogged by Yuta, and Mark had an undeniable warmth in his body – plus, Donghyuck was weirdly comfortable there… The reason he chose to get up was that “weirdly” part, there wasn’t a reason for Donghyuck to get this comfortable in his best friend’s embrace.

“Are you going to leave me?” Mark whined as the younger pushed his arms away and got up the bed. 

Donghyuck, not sure how to answer, decided not to and left the room hurriedly to stutter into the bathroom. 

After slapping a good amount of cold water on his face Donghyuck was better and he had noticed the red tint over his cheeks. Why… why would he blush? He was not necessarily a shy person and nothing that would embarrass him had happened… but that didn’t change the fact that he could feel his face burning even more as he kept using the water. 

Donghyuck almost hit his head on the wall after someone knocked the door harshly. “What the fuck do you want?!” He yelled, assuming it was Mark outside.

It wasn’t. “Donghyuck, you better don’t use that language around here!”

 _Says the one who has a poem about how much he wants his butt whipped._ “Sorry Taeyong, I thought you were Mark.”

“Okay, okay.” The older impatiently knocked once more. “Are you going to come out? I need to get in now.” 

“Give me a second.” Donghyuck washed his face once again in hopes of the blush fading, which he knew would not happen but why not at least try?

He certainly was _not_ expecting to find Taeyong outside the door with a half-asleep Johnny leaning on him, though.

“What…”

Taeyong sighed, trying to pull Johnny to the bathroom. “Don’t even question… he’s drunk.” 

That lighted a bulb in Donghyuck’s head. “Do you know who he drank with?”

“Ugh, no, not really.” The older blinked a few times, staring blankly. “I’m sure Jaehyun was with him, and Jaehyun did say something about going out with Mark… Again, I don’t really know.”

“Ah, it’s fine.” Donghyuck shook his head with a bunch of ideas occupying his head. “Need any help?”

“Nah, thanks.” Taeyong gave a smile and pointed at the hall with his head. “You go sleep. But it’d be highly appreciated if you could tell Yuta to get off the bed and bring his lazy ass here.”

 _He was telling me to stop cursing literally 2 seconds ago…_ “Can do, will do.”

“Thanks, Hyuck.” 

Donghyuck could hear Johnny messily “flirting” as he left the bathroom and began walking towards his room. “Taeyong, babe, come on, gimme a kiss… Why are you so shy? Come on, I just want my freaking kiss! Weren’t you the one who said ‘spank me’ when I wanted a damn high five? Just kiss me already!”

The younger took a mental note to later google _how to unhear something_.

Mark wasn’t in the mood of loving everyone anymore thankfully, but somehow it had gotten Donghyuck worried. He had no idea whatsover about how much Mark drank; and considering the older wasn’t the most heavyweight around there Donghyuck was pretty sure the older was going to throw up later. 

And Mark lying on Donghyuck’s bed curled up in a ball didn’t really help with the younger’s worries.

But first, there was some work to get done. “Hey, Yuta.”

“Mmh?” The latter answered without even moving a single muscle.

“Quoting Taeyong, he wants you to ‘get off the bed and bring your lazy ass there’.” Donghyuck shrugged and leaned his side on the wall. 

Yuta muttered something that sounded like some Japanese swearing as he turned around to jump off the bed. “Where?”

“Bathroom. I think he needs your help about a very drunk Johnny…” 

“Things I do for my best friend.” Yuta turned around to add something just before he left. “Uh, and, you should probably take care of Mark. He said something about feeling… what’s the word… ah, yes, nauseous.” 

_Yes, damn it, I was right_. Donghyuck quickly walked to his bed and put a hand on the older’s shoulder. “Mark, are you alright?”

A grunt came as an answer. “Ugh… everything’s spinning and it hurts my head…”

He wasn’t.

“Want me to take you to the bathroom?” Donghyuck asked lightly, thinking _if we can bring Johnny out of there, obviously._

“I’m fine, Hyuck.” This response wasn’t any better than the first one, sounding as if he put lots of effort in saying those four words. 

Donghyuck exhaled slowly. “You’re not.”

“I am.”

“No, you dumbass, you aren’t.” His hand had unintentionally begun stroking Mark’s back. “Don’t you know you can’t lie to me? I’ve known you for years – hell, I forgot how many – and you still think you can fool me.”

Mark’s head moved very slightly, giving Donghyuck a good angle to see his expression; a smile. “It has worked before.”

“If it did, that’s a complete coincidence.” Donghyuck rolled his eyes. “No offense, but you are seriously the worst liar I’ve ever seen… after Chenle, of course. That boy starts making sounds only a bat can hear whenever he tries to tell a lie.”

Mark chuckled quietly. “Believe me, it worked.”

“What kind of lie could you have told me?” Donghyuck raised a brow. “I know basically everything about you.”

“You didn’t know that I love you, though.” Mark blurted out like it was a reflex and not something that was thought on before.

Donghyuck’s heart sped up but he tried to brush it off. “ _Of course_ I knew. What kind of best friend I’d be if I didn’t know that? We’re best friends after all. Besties. Best bros. Bros for life.”

_Good job, Donghyuck… But didn’t you forget “no homo, bro”?_

He hated his internal voice at times.

“No, not that…” Mark made a grunting sound once again. “And I thought you were clever…”

“I don’t understand…” He _did_ understand – the point was that he didn’t want to do so.

Mark propped himself by the elbows to sit up. “I love you. In… in a romantic way.”

Donghyuck couldn’t breathe.

“At least… I think I am?” The older sighed deeply. “I’ve never had a crush this strong – and not on a boy, obviously. But I don’t think if people who aren’t in love find themselves staring at their best friends’ lips thinking how it would feel to kiss them? …I sound like I’m obsessed, don’t I?”

The younger’s phone vibrated in his pocket. _Oh, thank God I don’t have to answer him now._

  


  


**_[_ ** _5 messages from **Yuta]**_

****

_Ah hey_

_Looks like I’m staying with these idiots tonight_

_So_

_The room’s yours_

_Just make sure Mark doesn’t throw up on my bed or something_

  


**_Donghyuck:_ **

_No promises there sorry_

  


**_Yuta:_ **

_Kindly fuck off thx_

  


**_Donghyuck:_ **

_Have fun cuddling Johnny’s drunk ass ^-^_

  


_[Seen_ _, 01: 03]_

  


  


Donghyuck cleared his throat. “Mark?”

“Mmh?” The older answered without even looking up. 

“Yuta isn’t coming back.” It was hard to speak to him but he somehow kept going. “You can just sleep there – and you should. You have a class early tomorrow.”

Tomorrow was the first day of the winter break and _of course_ no one had a class but Donghyuck doubted Mark’s drunk ass could recall the fact. At least most of them weren’t going home so he could stay away from Mark as much as possible… Didn’t Jeno want to go bowling tomorrow? Renjun wouldn’t mind if he joined, neither would Jaemin. 

_So this is the kind of friend you are. Leaving them as soon as they develop feelings-_

_**NO! I’m not!**_

_You fucking are, Donghyuck. Look at you, already planning to run away from him._

**_Fuck, no. I’m… I’m…_ **

_Do you want to hurt him even more?_

**_No._ **

_Then you better accept it soon that you feel the same way._

“Shut the fuck up!” Donghyuck slammed his palm on his forehead. Normal people’s internal voices weren’t like that, weren’t they? _I gotta ask my mom what kind of witch she offended to make me deserve this._

“I wasn’t talking…” Mark’s voice came under the blanket barely heard. 

Ugh, why did everything have to be so weird? “I wasn’t talking to you. Just sleep, okay?”

Little did he know that he wouldn’t be able to follow his own advice.

  


* * *

  


The sun was shining, birds were singing outside, the house was quiet, blah blah but Mark Lee woke up cursing through his teeth. _Fucking damn - ugh… I’m seriously gonna throw up here if I don’t- shit…_

The brown haired boy tried to sit up, propping himself with his hands, and managed so barely. Donghyuck was asleep on the other bed - wait, wait, Donghyuck? What the hell?

Mark rubbed his eyes, the nausea making him scowl, and looked around carefully. That wasn’t his room for sure - if it was, it’d be Jaehyun on the other bad, snoring not-so-loudly- he had no idea how he ended up in this room. And, where the hell was Yuta, Donghyuck’s actual roommate? He remembered basically nothing - just going to drink with Johnny.

His temples were pulsating and Mark made a grunt as his headache went stronger. “God damn this…” _I have to get up…_

“Mmh… Mark?”

The older peeked through his lashes since his eyes were closed and he had his fingers pressing on his temples. “Hyuck?”

“You’re already awake.” Donghyuck sat up easily. “How are you now?”

“Headache… and nauseous…” Mark pulled his knees to his torso as another wave of nausea hit him. Bile was already burning his throat.

Donghyuck quickly got off the bed. “Fuck, Mark, you aren’t okay.”

“I’ll…” The fucked up feeling had gotten even worse, the older reflexively pressed his arms on his stomach.

The younger grabbed Mark’s arm gently. “Come on, I’m getting you to the bathroom.”

Mark nodded, mumbling something even _he_ didn’t know between his teeth. With Donghyuck’s help, he slowly got up on his feet and the nausea immediately followed by going worse. His hands found Donghyuck’s shoulders and held onto them for some strength.

A few minutes later, Mark was leaning over the toilet getting rid of whatever that was left from last night. Donghyuck’s one had stayed on his back as the younger waited for him to finish.

“Fuck…” Mark mumbled another curse, the nausea was almost gone but his head still felt like something inside his skull was pushing it outwards.

A water bottle came to his sight. “Here.”

Mark took it gladly, letting the water soothe his throat.

“Better now?” Donghyuck’s voice was low, and Mark felt something was weird with him - no idea why, but there was something, he knew it for sure.

“Yeah…” The older walked to the sink, washing his face to induce the tiredness on him. “Hey, what exactly happened last night?”

“I don’t know how but you ended up drunk as hell, and unfortunately for me I had invited you to hang out a lil.” Donghyuck’s foot tapped the floor uneasily and he avoided meeting Mark’s eyes. What was wrong?

Mark walked his hand through his messy hair. “Did I do some weird shit?”

The younger didn’t answer, an uncomfortable silence fell for five seconds. “Let’s get you back to your room.”

 _Yup, I definitely did something._ “Come on, just tell me already. What could it be the worse?”

Well, there was that one thing but Mark doubted his drunk self would be idiotic enough to spill that… right? He wouldn’t, he wouldn’t. Mark was just too worried, that was all. That couldn’t have happened.

Donghyuck helped him through the corridor to Mark’s room, but the older noticed he was trying to touch him the least. An arm was around Mark’s waist but just his hand actually touched Mark, and Donghyuck wasn’t even looking at him.

Damn it.

“Hyuck, just spill it.” Mark complained as Donghyuck pushed him to the bed, bickering about taking some rest. “How embarrassing could it be?”

“If I’m not doing it, there’s a reason.” Donghyuck inhaled slowly, beginning to admire the undeniable beauty of the floor.

“Donghyuck.”

“What?”

“You’re an idiot.”

The younger sniffed. “Oh, at least I’m not stupid enough to get drunk and confess to my best friend, right-” He stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening.

 _WHAT?!_ “I did… I did what?”

“Nothing.” Donghyuck cleared his throat, his chest rising up and down. “Just… rest. You need it.”

The older tried to push his blankets away but his body was too weak at the moment for a sudden movement, Donghyuck had left before he could even react.

Mark closed his eyes and let his head fall on the pillow, his Adam’s apple moving up and down slowly.

_What have I done?_

  


* * *

  


Nothing was going well, and it was all Mark’s fault.

He had lost Donghyuck because of nothing but his own idiocy over the course of three weeks - he wasn’t optimistic enough to think Donghyuck would like him back, but the idea of completely breaking their friendship apart had never passed his mind once. His best friend wasn’t the type to stop a friendship because of a crush, or at least that was what Mark had thought before. He was a pure idiot, nothing more.

Donghyuck was acting colder and colder with every day that passed, often leaving Mark alone with the excuse “he had promised to Jeno before”. Mark was sure Jeno and Donghyuck were never that close, but neither was he with Renjun and through these last days Mark often found himself casually chatting with the latter. The usually quiet boy had an actually fun side, and Mark was kind of pissed off at himself because of how he didn’t see that earlier.

 _Maybe it’s for everyone’s good_ , Mark mused, trying to convince no one other than himself. _Hyuck seems happy, Jeno’s good with him too. Only bad ones here are me and Renjun_. Yes, Renjun was also complaining about how Jeno, his own best friend, was ditching him almost everyday for Donghyuck. Technically, he hadn’t said it out loud but Mark could see the obvious disappointment in the younger’s eyes whenever he saw the strange duo.

“Hey, sleepyhead, are you getting out of that bed today?” Renjun’s head appeared behind Mark’s door with a wide grin.

The older made a grunt. “Can I just… live here?”

“Uh huh, I’ll just tell Professor Choi you’re trying to die in your bed.” Renjun placed a hand on the doorframe, still staring with that smile starting to get annoying.

Mark forced himself to prop up on his elbows just to give Renjun a stare. “Tell her to join my funeral too.”

“Mark, please.” The brunet’s smirk turned into a worried gaze. “You can’t keep doing this.”

“Hell yes I can, Renjun. Change my mind.”

The younger rolled his eyes. “For goodness’ sake. I mean, you _can_ do it, but should you?”

Mark turned around to sit on the bed, looking away so he wouldn’t have to have eye contact. “Maybe.”

“No.” Renjun said harshly, almost in a tone that’d be never expected from him. “Listen… I don’t know the whole story and I don’t know why Donghyuck’s acting like this towards you either. But, while there are lots of ways you could fix it you’re literally just living in your bed.”

The older sighed, he knew for sure the brunet was right but he wouldn’t accept it, never. “The bed’s not that bad…” 

“Mark, there’s a fucking pizza box under your pillow.”

“That’s not-”

“- we ate pizza two weeks ago.” Renjun raised a brow. “Do you understand me?”

Mark did understand indeed – he just didn’t want to.

“If you aren’t going to do anything to save your friendship, at least get up and take care of yourself.” Renjun pointed around the room with a hand.

“Fine…”

“And for the sake of everyone’s nonexistent asses, go take a shower. You smell like literal shit.” The younger gave one last smile before mumbling a farewell and closing the door behind him, leaving Mark to his thoughts and his thoughts only.

Mark’s head fell on the pillow he lazily placed on his knees, shushing the words he muttered. “I know he’s right but what can I even do?”

“Well, you can start by not talking to yourself!”

“What the fuck!?”

“Language, Mark!” The very familiar grin of one and only Nakamoto Yuta appeared behind the door. “Be glad I’m not that stern on the swear jar thing, if this was Taeyong-”

“When will you realize you can’t just rush into my room whenever you want?” Mark cut the older off to express his bother which was highly ignored.

“When will _you_ realize a two week old pizza box won’t keep you fed?”

“Touché.”

Yuta brushed his hair back. “Come on, it’s dinner time!”

Mark just let out a few more curse words between his teeth before answering. “I’m coming, just give me a few minutes.”

He wouldn’t have agreed if he knew the dinner would be this hard.

If it was because of the food he would just go and complain to Taeyong, the others would join too and it would be less of a problem but with no one being informed about the “thing” between Mark and Donghyuck, and the only empty seat being the one next to Donghyuck’s, the dinner had quickly turned into a fresh hell for Mark. 

Mark suspected it was no different for Donghyuck, the boy kept quietly eating and looking nowhere other than his plate. It would break Mark less if Donghyuck was just talking and joking as always – seeing him being happy was more than enough, even if that wasn’t with Mark – but he wasn’t used to it, used to the Donghyuck who had a constant pout on his plush lips, the one who looked on the edge of breaking down. And Mark was sure the younger could sense his gaze on himself, he was just choosing to ignore it – that was probably the thing that hurt the most.

No one else seemed to be in a similar situation, everyone was chatting loudly while Mark and Donghyuck just sat there waiting until they could finally leave this awkward situation. It was worse for Donghyuck probably, the discomfort effusing out of the younger was almost touchable – Mark didn’t even know how he ended up being that bothering for his best friend…

And just like that, he made a decision.

Even if he couldn’t bring back their good days, Mark _had_ to know what was bothering Donghyuck that much – he was positive that wasn’t just because Mark having a crush on him, Donghyuck just wasn’t the guy to get that much troubled over something like that. 

He could barely wait until the dinner was over to pull Donghyuck to a side they’d be as alone as possible.

“What?” The younger voiced a simple question, avoiding looking Mark in the eyes.

He shakily inhaled before letting the words out. “I want an explanation.”

Donghyuck batted his lashes for a few seconds before finally locking eyes with Mark. “An explanation to what?”

“To why you’re ignoring me.”

“I never thought you’d be a complete idiot but here we are.” The younger rubbed his face with one hand – his classic ‘I don’t want my face to be seen’ action.

Mark leaned closer, lowering his voice to make sure only the younger would hear him. “Hyuck, don’t lie. You’re not the one to act all butthurt over something like that.”

“Maybe you just don’t know me, huh?” Donghyuck spat out, backing out the moment he realized how harsh it sounded.

“My own best friend?” A little hysterical laugh left his mouth. “You’re gonna insist I don’t know my own best friend since we were toddlers?”

Donghyuck clenched his jaw. “…I don’t owe you any explanation.”

“Is this the way you’re trying to run away from me?” Mark shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t believe you could do this to me.”

“I did.” 

“Even you don’t believe what you’re saying-”

“You don’t know me better than myself, Mark!”

“Oh, is that so? Looking at how much of an asshole you turned into, maybe I didn’t know you at all!”

“ _Don’t you fucking dare-”_

“What? The truth doesn’t sound that good, huh Hyuck?”

“You don’t even have a single idea about the truth!” The younger screamed on the very top of his lungs. “For fuck’s sake…”

Mark softened his voice, trying to resist the urge to just wrap his arms around the clearly upset boy. “Then tell me.”

Donghyuck swallowed roughly. “I can’t…”

“What’s there to be scared of?”

“Myself.”

The older couldn’t hold himself back anymore, and slowly placed his hand on Donghyuck’s shoulder. “Just accept whatever it is… it’ll be fine. I promise.”

“It… it wasn’t you.” Donghyuck’s voice got louder with every word he managed to get out. “I treated you like shit –completely ignored you, on purpose– and I’m so fucking sorry, but it wasn’t because of you. It sounds so stupid when I say it this way but, well… I didn’t know how I felt. I still don’t know. You’re definitely more than just a friend to me, even more than a best friend, but I have no idea what to name it – or, I’m scared to name it, you could say. And I couldn’t just go and tell you this because I’d end up only hurting you… Look at my perfect solution; completely turning away from you in hopes you’d grow cold towards me.”

“I would never.” Mark’s lips were pulled in a tiny smile, a real one, after that much time. “You do know I can’t hate you.”

Donghyuck responded with a similar little grin. “Am I forgiven?”

“I was never angry to start with.”

“Then, I gotta congratulate you – you did a very good impression of anger just a few minutes ago.” 

“Ha, ha.” Mark did an eye roll, still smiling uncontrollably. “And here I was thinking where the sass I know went to.”

The younger did an exaggerated bow. “Lee Donghyuck, The King of Sass, at your service.”

“You might have to fight Sicheng for that title.”

Donghyuck chuckled before his expression went thoughtful again. “So, about everything…”

“Hyuck, I don’t want you to force yourself for anything.” Mark gave a reassuring smile to comfort his best friend. “Yes, I like you, but I’d be happy just being your best friend. Hell, just seeing you happy was pretty enough for me.”

“I _will_ explain it… I just need time.” He took a deep breath in order to calm himself down. “I… I’ve never felt something like this… _against a guy_. I need to understand it myself before explaining it to you.”

Mark just squeezed his best friend’s shoulder. “I’ve gone through the same thing before, I definitely understand.”

“Thanks, Mark.” Donghyuck flashed the brightest smile. “Even though you’re the biggest idiot I’ve ever met.”

“I don’t think that name would be left for me while a whole Lee Donghyuck exists.” Mark raised a brow, giving the _shots fired_ look.

“And there goes all the love I felt for you.”

“Hyuck!”

  


* * *

  


Maybe it hadn’t turn out exactly the same as before but his best friend was back and nothing else mattered, nothing.

The casual touching between them was limited to a point; Mark didn’t just go and randomly hug him the way he used to, or even just let his head fall on Donghyuck’s shoulder. Neither of them was uncomfortable but Mark really didn’t want the younger to feel suffocated of his presence - which would eventually happen if Mark kept treating him the usual. He had to be careful to not scare him off again - Mark would do basically anything to keep Donghyuck with him. After this point, it was like the younger was just vital to Mark who couldn’t imagine his life without him, whether it would be as friends or something different.

The younger seemed to be pretty much comfortable around him, of course somehow different than before but it was something and Mark was happy. It was _enough._

On Donghyuck’s side, though, things weren’t as bright as that \- nothing felt right, no matter how he tried to change his ways to look at certain things, it still wasn’t right and there was something missing. He couldn’t name it, since he had no idea what exactly was missing but there was something and it kept bothering him like a rock inside the shoe.

It took Donghyuck three months to figure out.

He wasn’t sure what exactly was the breaking point, but when it finally broke to him Donghyuck had no more doubts – even then, he didn’t want to name it yet. He was a complete idiot for not letting himself just accept, he knew that quite well but that was just the type of person he was and he had pretty much no idea how to fix himself. _And then they ask why you hate yourself that much…_

The spring break had come a few days ago making everyone basically lock themselves inside the dorms –which Donghyuck found absurd, while the weather was heavenly outside- and the constant irritating noise of 18 guys was pretty much enough of a reason for Donghyuck to not leave his room. Being trapped in with Yuta wasn’t exactly one’s image of “quiet and peaceful” but well, he was going to take all he could; plus, Yuta was almost always out in the dorm’s garden, so he wasn’t that much of an inconvenience.

Donghyuck glanced outside, resting his on the window’s glass with a small smile spreading on his face after he saw Yuta and Johnny running between the trees playing like children as Taeyong watched them with a hand on his forehead, his grin was still visible under the act of being done with them though. He would be out doing something similar with Mark instead of sitting in his room like a damsel in distress, only if the older wasn’t home since his parents were at the town for one of those rare times and Mark definitely didn’t want to miss his chance. _What else was I supposed to do?_ _I couldn’t tell him to ditch his family for me._

He could go hang out with someone else, of course, but the third wheeling was strong in this one –fourth wheeling, in the case of Jeno, Jaemin and Renjun- and if there was a single feeling Donghyuck hated with his whole being it was being the outsider. He wasn’t going to complain though, being alone at times was nice, he was still able to text or call Mark too so it wasn’t that bad, and he actually had a few good books on the shelf waiting to be finished. Donghyuck could keep himself occupied perfectly, it was just the fact that it had been just five days since Mark had gone and Donghyuck was already missing him. Even when he tried to focus on the book he had in hand, his mind kept going back to Mark again and again even at the most irrelevant times. Truly a way to keep yourself busy.

When the sound of rain drops tapping to the glass took his attention, Donghyuck sighed and put the book down in the realizement he wouldn’t be able to understand anything. Instead, he just moved his pillow for a more comfortable position before hugging his knees, once again leaning on the window to watch the calm spring rain falling. Rain always had this kind of effect on him, soon Donghyuck wasn’t able to keep his eyelids up any longer and just let them fall, drifting into a light nap. 

Only God knew for how long Donghyuck slept there, he could only guess it was long since his neck was in slight pain from the unnatural position. He rubbed his eyes before taking a look at the sky, finding it to be a pinkish colour turning into bright orange at the horizon. Was it the sunset already? 

Then, another thing got caught int his eyes – someone standing in the garden with his back facing the building, seeming to be staring into the sunset. Even though there was no sign pointing at his identity, Donghyuck _knew_ at his heart.

Only a few minutes later, the young male was walking outside to go to the person there, a huge smile uncontrollably pulling his lips up. “Mark!”

The older turned around, his eyes brightening up the moment he saw Donghyuck. “Hey.”

“You’re back this soon?” Donghyuck stopped when he finally reached Mark, his heart beating faster than any time he remembered. 

“Dad suddenly had a emergency meeting to attend, so they had to leave.” Mark shrugged, looking like he wasn’t feeling bad about the situation. “It’s okay honestly, I was too busy worrying about you anyways.

“Why would you even worry about me?” Donghyuck tucked his hands into his pockets against the cool wind. “I can perfectly take care of myself, thanks.”

The older responded with an eye roll. “I mean, I did leave you alone here – it was bothering me, okay?”

Donghyuck stared right into his eyes, blurting the next words without even noticing what he was doing. “Does it matter? You’re back.”

“Back to you, yes.” Mark’s smile this time reached into his eyes, making Donghyuck’s stomach get that annoying feeling of flying butterflies or whatever those were called –he wasn’t used to having them, you know?

A deep breath. “I have something to tell you.”

“Hyuck, what have you done? And do I have to save you from detention _again_?”

“I did not kill anyone, for the record.” Donghyuck raised his brows. “That may change if you keep acting like a complete idiot though.”

Mark held his hands up in a _I surrender_ expression. “I’m all ears.”

Too bad the younger had to keep all his sassy remarks back. “Uh… I guess I’ll just say it.”

“What were you even planning to do-”

“- dude, don’t you know when to shut up? And I am supposed to be the witty one here.”

Mark just did a motion over his lips to show he was going to keep quiet.

“Remember when I told you I needed time?” _Oh, great job, Donghyuck. Hit it right away._ “I’ve… I’ve come to a decision.”

The older was still just staring at him without a single word. 

“I…” Donghyuck swallowed slowly, closing his eyes before letting the rest of the sentence out. “I think I’m in love with you.”

Mark’s only response was to pull Donghyuck in a warm embrace, still not saying anything other than a silent _finally_. The younger would’ve asked why he said that, only if he wanted to ruin the moment he was craving for months without even noticing – he just let his head fall on Mark’s shoulder with a deep sigh. 

The setting sun’s last beams glowed on the blossoming cherry trees over them, giving a slight copper tint to the already ethereal scene around. Donghyuck could hear Mark softly humming a song as he kept holding the younger between his arms, his lips brushing onto Donghyuck’s forehead lightly.

All was perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are much appreciated!!


End file.
